Newsom Supports Challenger in California House Primary

In a surprise move last week, California’s second-highest elected Democratic official broke with party leaders to support a primary challenge to Democratic Rep. Mike Honda in Silicon Valley.

Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, said that he was backing 36-year-old high-tech businessman and former U.S. Commerce Department official Ro Khanna for the 17th District because “he has many innovative ideas to grow California’s economy and to apply technology to make government better for all his constituents.”

In thanking Newsom for his support, Khanna praised his leadership on several issues such as being one of the early California officials to come out for same-sex marriage while mayor of San Francisco.

In attempting to stave off Khana’s well-heeled challenge, Honda — at age 71 and with seven terms behind him — has the endorsements of President Barack Obama, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, and most of California's Democratic members of Congress.